Findings from a new study on DNA repair may lead to better cancer treatments

The study, “Structural basis of long-range to short-range synaptic transition in NHEJ,” was published in the journal Nature on April 14, 2021. This research reveals new insight into how proteins work naturally to identify and resolve DNA double-strand breaks (DSB).

Dr. Yuan He, professor in the Department of Molecular Bioscience, and members of his lab utilized cryo-EM (cryogenic electron microscopy) to obtain 3D images of the DNA cycle (which includes breakage, sensing, and repair) at atomic resolution. Professor He and his lab believe these findings can possibly form the basis for better understanding chemotherapy and radiation, and even lead to improved cancer treatments.

 “There are many factors that work in concert to seal the nick,” said Professor Yuan He, a member of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern. “We’re taking the most straightforward way to solve the problem — by looking at proteins as they identify and repair a break.”

“Breakthroughs are usually thought of for something big and complex,” said Siyu Chen, an Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences (IBiS) graduate student in He’s lab and first author on the paper. “The question we’re answering is fundamental and straightforward: DNA has been broken apart — so how do proteins join them together?”

Watch a rendering of the proposed model of this DNA pathway below:

Professor Yuan He

Read more about this study in the Northwestern Now article: “Understanding how DNA repairs itself may lead to better cancer treatments.”

Learn more about Professor Yuan He’s research and lab on his website.